I'm gonna summarize this run into hours since it was a 6hr timed event, not a given distance.

Hour 1:
Someone shouted go and we all started running. By all I mean about 49 other crazies. There were two other races going on as well. A 2hr run, 4hr run, then the 6hr run which I was doing along with my friend Alan.

I quickly realized that I was in a little group of about 4-5. Two of them were from DFW and part of NTTR. (North Texas Trail Runners) One was Alan, the person I came up with, and a lady name Amy who we later found out was only running the 2 hour.

This first hour just totally flew by. I quickly lost count of the laps and just focused on staying comfortable. Early on I realized that the pace was a little hot for me, but I didn't want to be the first to break. I actually wanted to be the last to break. I figured that if the pace was hot for me, it was probably hot for everyone else as well.

The original goal was to take a gel every 45 mins, and drink water on a regular basis. I had not specific goal for drinking, other than to NOT get dehydrated. Next thing I knew the first hour was gone and our friend Amy was still with us. It was still the 5 of us.

Hour 2:
The second hour was also pretty uneventful. I spent most of this lap just looking forward to the end of the 2hr race so the course would clear up, and so that it would be good and dark. Around 9:15-9:30 it was finally totally dark, which was really nice. The path was well lit, so we didn't need any flashlights.

With about 20mins left our friend Amy dropped off pace, but stayed about 50 yards behind us to finish the 2hr with 13 miles.

I stayed on my nutrition plan really well here. Around the end of the 2nd hour the lady fron NTTR dropped off to use the restroom, and my friend Alan pulled off as well, to take it a little easier.

This left just me and a guy named Tom. Hour two had passed.

Hour 3:
Hour three started out smoothly as well. Me and Tom were just chatting it up and enjoying running.

We were running really comfortably by ourselves and we sticking to the same pace that we had started at. (which I still had no idea what that was, or what lap we were on)

I was trying really hard to stick to my nutrition plan, but around the end of hour three my stomach wasn't so happy and I was starting to not be hungry anymore as usual.

The time was still flying by and before we knew it hour three was up.

Hour 4:
Hour four started around 11pm. About 20mins into this hour my stomach had had enough. I stopped to tie my shoe for a second and Tom took off. I was no officially in 2nd place.

I tried to walk off my stomach woes but it just wasn't happening. Everytime I'd get to the aid station now, I'd go straight to the water sponge barrel, soak my head, and walk about 60 yards out of the aid station, to the same light pole, and start running again. Around 3:40 in I passed Alan for the second time and he informed me that he was going to drop down to the four hour race and call it a night at midnight.

I ran his last few laps pretty close to him and got ready for the last two hours.

Hour 5:
By this point I'd pretty much stopped eating and I was feeling pretty bloated. I kept taking some water, but food was no longer appetizing. Around 4:10 Tom finally lapped me. The girl NTTR runner, had yet to pass me so I knew I was still holding onto 2nd place, but had no idea how long it would last.

I was trying to do the calculations in my head, and knew that my goal of 40 miles was long gone. Not it was time to save face. Hour five I did lots of walking and actually set down on a bench for three minutes. I mentally decided to just push on through whatever it was I was dealing with.

I stuck with my run everything except the 50 yards after the aid station. It was getting close to 1am and I knew we only had about 1hr left.

Hour 6:
Once I came through the finish/start line I decided to sit down and talk to Alan for a few minutes. I grabbed my chair in front of the car and immediately reached into my cooler for a RedBull. I didn't know if it would help, but I was now getting pretty desperate. I drank the entire 8.3oz of RedBull, told Alan I felt like total **** and watche Tom and the Gril NTTR runner pass me. Well I was now in 3rd place and Tom had two laps up on me.

After about 5-6 mins I got up and decided to get this thing over with. I kept making deals in my head and telling myself I could get at least 34 miles. Well, that turned into 35 miles, then by the end it turned into 36 miles.

By 5:30 into the race I was revitalized and READY TO RACE! Too bad it was too little too late. My walk breaks were becoming shorter and shorter. The last two laps were run non stop. I blazed right through the aid station and knew we were almost done. On my 35th lap I FINALLY caught the girl NTTR runner, and took back 2nd place. I knew that first place was long gone, but all I really wanted know was 36 miles.

The last two laps I just soaked it all up and enjoyed getting to run at 2am and the fact that again I'd run over 35 miles. It really is an amazing experience to feel that fresh after 35 miles of running.

The last lap I blazed around and finished at 5:57:34. 36 miles after starting.


I just need to keep dialing in ultra nutrition.

Drink more cold redbull :)

Crossed the finish line to find Tom and Alan chatting. Found out Tom had done 38 miles so I was only two laps down. Not too bad after falling apart so bad that 5th hour.


Nutrition problems.


This was as local home town as it gets. The Abilene Runners club put it on. There was no hardware for placing, but everyone did get a finisher hat. There were no chips for timing, just people with clipboards taking our numbers. Loved it. That's what running is about.